Student victory opens political transition in Serbia
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Atlanticcouncil
The student movement’s victory in Serbia’s parliamentary election opens a period of political transition after more than a decade of Aleksandar Vučić’s dominance. Atlantic Council experts say the new majority will have to restore institutions, fight corruption and clarify its relationship with the European Union.
The Student List’s victory in Serbia’s parliamentary elections opens a political transition after the defeat of Aleksandar Vučić and his Serbian Progressive Party, according to the Atlantic Council. Backed by a movement that began in universities, the list won a majority of seats on a platform focused on fighting corruption.
For Jörn Fleck, director of the Atlantic Council’s Europe Centre, the result represents a victory for democratic principles and a rejection of the strongman political model in the Balkans. The student movement spread from Niš to Belgrade and mobilised voters across several generations, following nearly two years of protests against corruption, state capture and the decline of democratic governance.
The Atlantic Council nevertheless warns that forming the new government will be a test. The Student List won the vote despite a media and institutional environment favourable to the ruling party, while turnout was marked by long queues. Aleksandar Vučić, who had dominated Serbian politics since 2014, had hoped to return as prime minister after calling the snap election. His defeat and acceptance of the result were reported on 25 October in the student movement’s victory in Serbia’s parliamentary election.
